Throughout the past decade, women have increasingly spoken up on a range of discriminatory issues in order to make their voice heard in contemporary society. At Boulder's Manhattan Middle School, a group of seventh-grade girls are protesting the school's current dress code by claiming that it is depriving females of their freedom of expression because it can be distracting for boys. Through the girls' similar experiences, they have concluded that they are often found at fault for wearing provocative and sexualized clothing that can attract the attention of their male counterparts. The girls have talked with school administration about how this practice is demonstrating that boys' education is more important than girls' education therefore girls will be disciplined if they come across as a distraction. The girls at Boulder's Manhattan are advocating for the school to remove the covert sexism from their policies and instead require males to be respectful and penalize them for intrusive behavior. Likewise, the girls have observed that boys are able to go shirtless in certain situations and expose their midriffs and do not even get acknowledged by administration, far from being punished for it.

Feminist Soraya Chemaly addresses a specific incident that took place in Tottenville High School where 200 students got detention for violating school dress code, 90 percent of them being girls. This is only one of many examples on how males and females are held to different standards regarding dress. Although this bias has been incorporated in the school's initial guidelines, it is important to look at these institutionalized policies that may need to be reinterpreted as our society begins to work towards maximum equality.

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Not only do dress codes create inequality between sexes, but they also reaffirm traditional gender roles. By expecting women to dress a certain way, our society is reinforcing the stereotype that women need to come across in an attractive, proper manner while men need to look professional. Chemaly argues that traditional clothing that is deemed suitable for women usually consists of skirts, dresses, and open-toed shoes, which restricts a girl's freedom of movement. Although this might seem like an ancient ideology, it still applies to girls today. Girls are more likely to be complimented on their appearance if they are wearing something feminine and conservative and receive criticism for wearing something risqué and fashion forward. The lack of movement from dresses and skirts prevents girls from participating in sports and activities that are more prevalent for men. By dressing to conform, women often lack the confidence to adopt leadership roles and gravitate towards domestic work because they consider it more suitable and accessible. These ideologies are outdated, but why are they still built into our institutions? A humble shift in dress code policy will empower women to grasp opportunities with courage and poise.

Policing girls' clothes has been an increasingly controversial issue for which our generation will not stand. Along with Boulder Manhattan Middle School, advocates from all over the country on reforming school dress codes are speaking out. Carrie Preston, a Boston University professor in women's studies argues that often dress codes are set in place to create guidelines but in turn, create negative ramifications for women and "indicates a cultural movement against the exposure of women's bodies." We are growing up in an era where women are leveling the playing field. We are empowered through our peers, motivated by the past, and hopeful for the future. We are determined to show that we are a force to be reckoned with. Overt sexism has almost disappeared in our contemporary society, but the covert sexism that exists in the codes and policies of our institutions still creates a disparity in gender equality. You can see the progress we have made throughout the past few years, but it is time that we revolutionize the system once and for all.

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